Fairy Tail : The Fall of Fiore (Chapter 1)
by StrawPirate
Summary: On a calm autumn night in the Valley of Angels, 3 paths of equal resistance will collide. One side fighting for justice, one for chaos, and another for love. The three most powerful mages alive will pit their lives for the sake of their beliefs. Each path unfolds differently, and slowly intersects until the breaking point. 3 sides, 3 beliefs. This is their story.


**PROLOGUE**

_"I remember when I first met you..I remember your eyes. I wish I could see them, and say goodbye." - Second Verse of the Poet's Hymn_

Fireflies flickered on the horizon as an eerie calm filled the air. A calm only disturbed by the occasional moan of wind whistling through the grass, and the background clamor of colliding armies. It was midnight in the valley of angels. It's haunting otherwordly beauty was not the only reason for it's name. For generations, the valley had been the final battlefield for countless duels. The stories this place could tell would be both heart-breaking and beautiful. Tonight, another such fight would occur. Three shadows stood as statues in the moonlight. Each knowing, their first move could be their last.

It was the third quarter of the moon cycle, a time when the beautiful Moonbeam Plant, a bluish-purple glowing flower, was thriving. The valley was filled with them. "Fitting." Llerrad thought. "If I am to die, then I'll die the way I first began living. Thinking of her." Three forces of immeasurable strength exchanged glances, and nodded in respect. By sunrise, only one would be left standing. Regardless of who won, the world would soon drastically change.

But let's go back for a moment.

**~1 Year Earlier~ **

Llerrad lifted his head from a daze. It was his first nod of sleep in days, and he was starting to hallucinate. But he wasn't hallucinating this. His eyes shifted to a blurry silhouette as they struggled to focus. A figure came into view, and Llerrad was sure he was daydreaming. A hand approached his, and offered assistance. "Are you ok, sir?" The girl asked. "Uh..y-yeah just dozed off for a moment. S-sorry madam." He responded.

"Do you make it a habit to sleep in flower fields?"

"Is there any more beautiful place to do so?" He commented.

"What are these flowers?" He looked curious.

"Moonbeam! They're beautiful aren't they?" She smiled cheerfully.

"I'm Azile. Nice to meet you."

"Llerrad, but my friends call me Lerra. You can call me Llerrad." He joked. "Nice to meet you too."

"Well Llerrad, I've got to go but it was nice meeting you."

Lerra nodded as the girl left.

"Azile." He repeated.

He wouldn't forget.

** CHAPTER 1**

Valiaous was a rugged man. Always fighting for justice over everything else. He was a strict, lawful man, who believed sternly in his absolute justice. So much so that he even sentenced his own brother to death for stealing a horse. A cruel act no doubt, but it could be said that Valaious did fight for the greater good, even if it meant occasional acts of cruelty. He was the master of the Valkyrie guild, the largest organized guild in the world. A guild, who for the most part, is a very good guild with good intentions. Valkryrie is highly respected, and often regarded as the most powerful of all the guilds. Valaious is powerful, extremely. Physically, he is a monster, but his magic is what really made him excel. He is a master of light magic, casting multitudes of support, healing, and holy light magic. His magic puts him at the very top of the list of most powerful mages in the world, only rivaled by a select few. He struck fear in his guild members, due to his strict regulations and harsh punishments. But he cared very much for his guild, and they returned the favor. One year from today, Valaious would be one of three mages fighting for the fate of the world.

Nocturne screamed at Lazayah. "Are you stupid?! You led them straight here." He yelled. The royal army appeared on the horizon, heading straight for the cave which now hid the dark guild Phoenix. A fitting name for a guild who had been disbanded and reborn countless times. They're considered the most dangerous dark guild left, as the royal army - with the help of Guild Valkyrie and a few other good guilds- have mostly eradicated all other dark guilds. Straggling former members of disbanded dark guilds had now all pledged their allegiance to Phoenix, making it even more dangerous.

The army drew closer. "We'll have to move again" Nocturne barked. He lifted his hand towards the approaching army and a black hole began to encompass the soldiers. Within a minute, the army was consumed. This was the power of Nocturne, the master of darkness. The man who would be the 3rd warrior in the battle for the world.

Lerra sipped soup and hummed his favorite bard song. His thoughts danced between the pretty girl he had just met, and the worry of finding his brother. Gajeel had been missing for 2 weeks and Lerra had had no contact with him in over a month. Lerra had run into a good friend of his, Gildarts, a few days prior and learned of his brothers disappearance. Until then, he had not worried. Gajeel had finally found his place in Fairy Tail and now had friends. Sometimes it would take him weeks to write, but this actually pleased Lerra. He was happy that his brother had finally found somewhere he belonged.

Lerra is 4 years older than Gajeel, and practically raised Gajeel himself. Until Gajeel met Metalliana that is. This worked out well, because Lerra had just joined a guild during this time and was often busy. Lerra often pondered how rare, or lucky even, that two brothers would be chosen by dragons to be raised : Gajeel - Metalliana, the steel dragon : Lerra - Chronologia, the dragon of time.

Even luckier still, since joining Fairy Tail, Gajeel had even found his own Exceed, Panther Lily, who Lerra's Exceed, Marley, had the cutest crush on. Lerra often laughed when he thought of his brothers brooding personality. Probably because he saw so much of himself in Gajeel. Lerra was very much like Gajeel until he found friends of his own, and he was sure Gajeel would become a happier soul in time.

As Lerra finished the last of his soup, he grabbed a handful of gold from his pocket and tossed it to the innkeeper. "Thanks." A stern but sincere remark. "He was on a quest, in Black Bastion last we heard. Phoenix has been spotted there ya know..."

Gildarts' words echoed through his mind. An incredible aura filled the inn as Lerra exited. He stared ahead with intense concentration. The doorway groaned as he passed through.

"Black Bastion it is."

**~ 3 weeks earlier ~**

Gajeel and Natsu sat arguing inside the main hall of Fairy Tail.

"No way, Laxus is not stronger than Gildarts!" Natsu quirped.

"Laxus beat Jura, one of the 10 wizard saints you spike headed imbecile!"

"So! Gildarts is away too much to be a wizard saint, and wizard saints aren't all that great anyway! I beat jellal!"

"Only after eating etherion, and I had weakened him." Erza added. "It doesn't matter I could win anyway!" Natsu threw angrily.

This got a laugh out of everyone.

"We'll who's stronger Erza, Laxus or Gildarts?" Natsu asked. "Hm. Laxus has improved a lot. But Gildarts scares the hell out of me." Erza responded.

"Ha! Told you!"

"Shut up. Then Gildarts should be a wizard saint. So should Laxus for that matter." Gajeel added.

"What's your deal with wizard saints anyway?" Natsu asked curiously.

"I just know first hand how freakishly strong they are. My brother is one."

"BROOTTTHHHHERRRR?!" Yelled virtually everyone in the hall. "Uh.. Yeah. Llerad the Jackyl."

Fairy Tail fell silent. Crickets. "Y-your brother.. Is Llerad the Jackyl?" Natsu squeaked out. "One of the four Gods of Ishvall..?"

"Uh. Yeah. Sounds about right, that's him."

"I don't get it, who is this guy?" Lucy asked cautiously.

"Are you kidding me?!" Natsu barked. "He defeated an entire army of dark guilds on his own! He's the only person I know to have ever beaten Gildarts!"

"He's really that powerful Erza?" Lucy sheepishly asked.

Erza sat silently staring at Gajeel.

"Y-your brother, uh l-likes you doesn't he?" Erza's demeanor was shockingly fragile.

"Well yeah." Gajeel mentioned with a turn of the nose.

Erza breathed a sigh of relief.

"Erza was scared that much?" Lucy thought.

"Can you get his autograph for me?!" Makarov cheerfully asked.

"EVEN THE MASTER?! " Lucy's mind was racing.

What could this guy look like she wondered. He must be huge and monstrous. Does he look anything like Gajeel, she thought.

"It's not a big deal really." Gajeel shyfully said.

"He's just my brother."

"So why aren't you strong?!" Natsu asked, sparking a fight between the two.

Laxus descended the stairs observing the excitement. He grabbed a flyer from the job board and headed out. He didnt even read the posting, for him it didn't matter. Just another job, another meal.

Since defeating Jura (one of the 10 wizard saints) in the Mage guild tournament, Laxus had become a bit of a celebrity. Growing in popularity outside of Magnolia and all the way to the Mage council itself. Rumors abound that he would be asked to replace Jura in the saints. Other rumors said that he was offered Jura's place and turned it down out of respect for Jura. The fight was obviously not a one sided affair, and Laxus wholly admits that any fight between them could always go either way. Aside from Jura, Laxus had also taken out the dark guild, single-handedly when they used illusion magic to team up in him when it was supposed to be a 1 on 1 match between him and his father. All of this had conjured plenty of publicity for Fairy Tail.

Natsu loved it.

Makarov hated it.

Laxus didn't care.

* REWARD : 25,000 *

* Job : Eliminate The Dark Guild "Lunotic" *

* - Mage Council of Fiore *

* Location: Fae Falls *

"Seems simple enough" he thought.

He slipped out during the chaos.

Another normal day for Fairy Tail.

Gajeel grabbed Levy by the hand and hurried out of the guild hall.

"Where are we going? Levy questioned.

"A job, and I need your help."

Levy smiled.

"What kinda job?" Levy asked.

"In Black Bastion, there's a group of half-ass mages using rune spells to enslave the townsfolk.

You're the only one who can dispell them." Gajeel explained.

"Well, I'll do my best." Levy said through a bashful smile.

"Should we ask anyone else to come?" Levy enquired.

"Nah, I got this." Gajeel boasted.

The two left on foot, avoiding any transportation at all costs.

"Long walk ahead, stay close." Gajeel sternly commanded and the two were on their way.

~~~~~ Magnolia Town Square ~~~~~~~

Lucy sat in front of the cherry blossom tree and considered falling asleep. The breeze was just right, and the smell of the blossoms was uniquely calming. Her eyes nodded slowly into darkness..

"AYE AYE SIR!"" Happy exclaimed as he rode on the shoulder of Natus, who was barreling towards the blossom tree.

"LUUUUUUUCCCCCCCCYYYYYYYYYY!""" Natsu pretty much screamed.

Lucy jumped up in a complete panic.

"WHATTTT?!" Lucy's eyes teared up and her heart raced.

"Check out this totally awesome seashell we found!" Natsu laughed out.

Lucy slapped the spit out of Natsu's mouth.

"YOU SCARED ME HALF TO DEATH OVER A STUPID SEASHELL?! Lucy angril... "Woah, that shell is beautiful!" Lucy finished.

"Aye!" Happy added.

"It's the most awesome perfectly totally sweet seashell ever!" Natsu grabbed Happy and they began to dance arm in arm.

Lucy had to admit to herself, the shell was pretty amazing. But she would never admit that to them.

"Yeah, it's ok, now get away." Lucy annoyingly added.

She stood up, caught her breath, and left.

"I guess she didn't like it sir.." Happy wasn't so happy.

"Eh.. It's ok Happy, you can have it."

"Really?" Happy exclaimed.

"Of course!"

"Thank you sir! But, I think it better fits Lucy."

Natsu and Happy raced off giggling towards the guild.

Lucy felt a little sad as she neared her house. Maybe she was a little too hard on them.

She walked inside. "Hm. Noone is actually in my house. Weird. No Gray stripping, No Erza sharpening her swords. No Natsu doing push-ups."

It felt a little lonely she thought. She walked towards her bed and saw something shining.

The shell was lying there. She hurried to the window to see Natsu and Happy hurrying away.

Lucy laughed.


End file.
